Agenda item

Presented by Louise Halfpenny WHHT

Update on latest national New Hospital Programme timeline and local hospital redevelopment plans.

Presentation to be shared at the meeting

LHalfpenny shared a presentation highlighting their plans for the 3 sites.

·         Hemel Hempstead Hospital plans showed planned medical care and combined appointments to raise diagnostic quality and bring in new equipment at St Albans and to retain the Urgent Care Service.

·         St Albans City Hospital was the site for planned surgical care. This clear separation of emergency and planned surgery enabled them to continue with non-complex surgery during the pandemic. They wished to grow the complexity and bolt on additional services such as a Cancer Centre and upgrade diagnostics. They would offer Urgent Care.

·         Watford General Hospital was the centre for Emergency and Specialist Care. They would triple the emergency department, equipment up to date.

·         There were plans for Maternity Services at Watford and implementation of single occupancy rooms from early labour to postpartum care instead of moving patients.

·         They wished to demolish the main building.

Cllr Beauchamp raised the Care Commission Quality Report’s reference to the service not always controlling infection risk, patients who were not always visibly clean, and there was a build-up of grime and mould in the building. He noted this was not addressed in West Herts Hospital Trust’s response. LHalfpenny disagreed this referred to a serious hygiene problem and had discussions with the Director of Environment and concluded it was staining versus mould. She explained the press statement responded to what they felt were the most serious issues.

Cllr Maddern queried whether most surgery was done at St Albans as Mike van der Watt said 80% of surgery was done at Watford. Cllr Bhinder upheld Cllr Maddern’s request for details.

KMinier suggested pushing Hemel Hospital and St Albans City Hospital plans forward, including the one-stop diagnosis for diabetes, instead of doing them after. LHalfpenny confirmed they would propose this.

EGlatter referred to a note in previous minutes that they would hear within several weeks how much money was available from the Treasury for the rebuild. LHalfpenny stated they had been expecting to hear the money was for the preparation, which they heard December 23^rd, rather than the money for the development. EGlatter was unsure what was going on at Hemel Hempstead. LHalfpenny offered a detailed list of services and assured there was nothing new at Hemel Hempstead.

• The 6 options showed the varying degrees of new build. They wished to pursue an option with the most new build possible.
• These options would be presented to the Trust Board in May, and the Board would recommend a third option for the 3 sites. They had ruled out a new hospital on a new site. Once the Board approved recommended preferred options, they would finalise their Outline Business Case with detailed final designs and delivery plans including timescales. 2022 would hopefully see the OBC submitted to the New Hospital Programme, and Treasury, who would make a funding decision. Barriers included demands for higher degree of standardisation, and national plans on percentage of rooms of single occupancy.
• They would move forward from funding to construction starting in 2024. The 6 options would be in the public domain from April to go to the Board Meeting in May. The 6 options ranged from a do-minimum approach to a maximum, with according spend. The timetable was for new and refurbished hospital buildings to be open by 2028. They may have some refurbs operating before this time. The slides caveated the concordance with the national programme, which may affect timescale.
• Slide 5 addressed the meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Their media response was highlighted. They had not heard back.
• Engagement plans showed a session on Virtual Healthcare, Progress to Date, and Emergency Care. Anyone was welcome to join these sessions.

KMinier noted many hospitals close to Watford General Hospital with plans and intentions and enquired about the close catchment areas. LHalfpenny confirmed no hospitals were looking to affect their catchment. Cllr Hollinghurst noted residents used hospitals closest to them rather than in their catchment area. LHalfpenny acknowledged this and supported patients to use the quickest journey for emergency admission.

Regards the 6 options, Cllr Adeleke enquired if the Board had the option to reject all 6, and if there was a Plan B. LHalfpenny did not believe any of the 6 options would be unpalatable and the Board had committed to 3 site options. They could rework options but the Subcommittee had viewed all the recommendations in detail.

SDay asked about the clear site, but he had not seen the letter. Cllr Bhinder noted the letter would be distributed. SDay did not feel 4-5 months was an acceptable timeframe for a response and commented that nobody else had seen or could respond to LHalfpenny’s letter to Cllr Bhinder. Cllr Bhinder asked LHalfpenny to circulate the letter promptly.

Cllr Bhinder thanked LHalfpenny for her presentation and asked for the letter to be circulated promptly.